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[Shimp, 1997:126; Engel et al., 1995:502; and Hawkins et al., 2001:345 2.4.1.3 Learning Learning is the term used to explain the procedure by which a consumer’s memory and
behaviour are altered as a result of conscious and non-conscious information processing.
It has been suggested that learning comprises of two types, namely declarative and
procedural. Declarative learning involves the subjective facts that are known (for
30 example, that wheels, a saddle and pedals are components needed in riding a bicycle),
whereas the procedural learning refers to the understanding of how these facts can be
used (knowing how these components can be used in actually riding a bicycle) [Hawkins
et al, 2001:324; Shimp, 1997:126; Burgess, 1998:40; and Schiffman & Kanuk,
2000:255]. It is crucial for marketers to acquire a thorough understanding of what consumers know
(or don’t know) for a simple reason – what consumers buy, how much they will pay,
where they buy and when they buy are influenced by the knowledge they possess. Such
understanding may lead to discovering significant gaps in consumer learning that, when
closed, will increase the likelihood of a purchase. A misinformed consumer, for instance,
may not understand how a product works, resulting in the product not being purchased or
used correctly [Hawkins et al., 2001:333; Swait, 2001:135; and Zeithaml & Bitner,
1996:38]. People are constantly making efforts in trying to learn the right information efficiently
and effectively. Learning can take place on two levels, namely high-involvement learning and low-involvement learning. High-involvement learning refers to times when
a consumer is encouraged to process or learn material whilst low-involvement learning
deals with a consumer that lacks drive in processing or learning information [Hawkins et
al., 2001:325]. The next section deals with the way that children learn and how this
influences their behaviour. Studies dealing with the way that children think often have not been taken sincerely but
the works of Jean Piaget set the change in motion [Papert, 1999:104]. Generally speaking, children are not capable of processing and remembering all types of
information presented to them [Hawkins et al., 2001:212 and Hall, 2000:153]. Children
go through different stages as they mature physically, mentally and as consumers. The
different stages are illustrated in table 2.1. 31 Table 2.1 Piaget’s stages of cognitive development. Stage Period Ave. age Description / Characteristics
Although cognitive development is
0 to 2 years
seen, the child does not "think"
conceptually. 1 Sensorimotor
intelligence 2 Pre-operational
thoughts 3 to 7 years Language development and rapid
conceptual development. 3 Concrete operations 8 to 11
years Ability to apply logical thought to
concrete problems. 4 Formal operations 12 to 15
years Greatest level of cognitive structures
which allow the child to apply logic to
all classes of problems. Source: Hawkins, D.I., Best, R.J., Coney, K.A., 2001, Con...
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